Love on the NHS (47 page)

"Of course," he replied. "Don't you know they put mercury in toothpaste? I brush my teeth with salted water just as people did years ago. Mercury is a poison. They put it in tooth fillings too, you know. Dentists are the spawn of Satan."

She poked him in the rib. "Are you sure you're Luke Jefferson? I think you might have lied to me all along. You're really Fox Mulder, aren't you?"

Luke's eyebrows raised. Jolly laughed. Life was not done and dusted yet. Two beings had been pulled towards one other in a vortex. Now they were dizzy with feelings of romance. Only a year and a half later they gave birth to their first child, Romeo, named in honour of love conquering all. Sometimes the two, after watching the news or a debate show on Sunday, would discuss politics. The main trouble with politics from Luke's point of view - and he was not alone in thinking it - was political parties. It would be better if they did not exist. They prevented individual thought and action and encouraged mindless group thinking. Just like how churches made a song and dance about the bible but were rarely full of true Christians: political parties turned initial good ideas into overcomplicated manifestos that were not properly followed. Most of the best politicians in history had been rebels who overstepped the bounds of what was deemed acceptable in their party. If there were no political parties at all, it would be possible for people to genuinely engage in debate, for there would be no party line to tow.

Luke had learned through his experiences in life that most systems fail. Theories rarely are translated into realities. Feelings are more important than ideas in a general sense - this was his view. You could not live without a brain, at least not sensibly; but if you lived entirely with it you would spend your whole life doing nothing but talking. Talking about this idea and that. Thinking was wonderful as long as it accompanied actions. So it was that Luke reluctantly came to the conclusion he could not completely withdraw from politics and campaigning. Yes, it was often hopeless; but to do nothing would be apathetic. Most of politics was occupied by tribal people who only wanted to win for their side at any cost. Many politicians would refuse to vote for bills in parliament or in their local council that would benefit everyone because they wanted to make the people in power look incompetent. Getting in at the next election often was more important to them than people's lives at this very instant. But this political point scoring some engaged in did not mean all people who had political convictions should be tarred with the same brush. A person should not be ashamed to hold a strong view.

And so having worked in the Health Service Ombudsman and being privileged to have inside knowledge, Jolly helped Luke to set up a campaign group lobbying for more transparency - a much more thorough investigation process to complaints and quicker responses. Jolly was always the driving force, being the most capable of them and charming all she met. She blew the whistle on corrupt practices in the Ombudsman and NHS whilst also defending the existence of the health service. She had previously worked in private health care and knew of terrible problems there too. These important issues concerning them, they were somewhat overwhelmed.

"What if we never achieve what we want?" Luke asked Jolly one day.

"We might not," said Jolly. "It's a possibility we have to be prepared for. What we can do is nurture our own patch of the land and make as best we can a difference in our own day-to-day dealings."

They had lived together in Luke's apartment in London for two years. Then they moved out to a small, detached house in Dorchester. This they did because they tired of the rush and pollution of urban life; and could not bear to stay in London while poor people were economically cleansed out of the city by rising rents and benefit cuts. Despite loving the city it was becoming too selfish; each inner city area gradually being gentrified until eventually all the poor people had to  live miles from the centre in barren wastelands with few shops, theatres, parks, good schools - or indeed anything. People would moan about hipsters and artists ruining an area with cheap rents by subsequently turning it into an expensive one - but it would never end until inequalities in wealth were tackled.

The house they bought in Dorchester came with a plot of land. For their plot they sought and received planning permission to build two blocks of apartments. The apartments, after a consultation period with the local council, were built with a generous garden all around but most spacious at the back. Two vegetable allotments were placed in the rear garden and an intricately patterned brick path was laid in between them. Each block of apartments consisted of fifteen apartments, five on each floor, along with an elevator and stairwell. The foundations were built with seasoned wood - plastic was completely outlawed from their considerations due to its harm to human health and the environment. Outside each apartment's door were individual recycling and waste bins which a employee paid a living wage - far above the minimum, and with sick pay - came and collected every week. All residents were offered a free one-to-one ten week organic gardening instruction course and a cleaner kept the communal areas in good condition. Each roof meanwhile was covered with slates upon which were placed solar panels - the energy produced from them would be used to provide the apartments energy; and would prove a useful safeguard against power black outs.

Each apartment had wood floors in the lounge, bedrooms and kitchen and a tiled floor in the bathroom. High ceilings and tall, Georgian sash windows allowed a wealth of light into each room. On the outside, bricks were covered over by white clapboard and to the side of each window was a pair of olive louver shutters. Residents were allowed pets and an agreement was reached between Luke and Jolly with a local counsellor to offer an arbitration scheme between neighbours who had disputes over noise or what took place in the shared areas.

In each block of apartments, two of the apartments on every floor was for a social housing tenant as they are often known: but in less ambiguous language for people who were disabled, elderly, unemployed or low paid. The communal halls between apartments had large windows to prevent an over-reliance on artificial lighting and the light fittings were designed akin to the attractively shaped heads of Victorian streetlamps.

Jolly and Luke did not make a lot of money from renting out their apartments but they did feel happy to know they had done their bit in easing the housing crisis. They had helped a few people in need. Some people who had been desperate for a house - amongst whose number were the homeless, rehab leavers, ex-prisoners and desperate supermarket employees. Each of these had been welcomed by Luke and Jolly's open-minded housing scheme which aimed to discriminate against no one. All were very grateful for the opportunity that allowed them to build a life away from so many bad influences - and with constructive activities available for them to engage in.

Romeo was brought up lovingly but cautiously by his mother Jolly, whom had a hysterectomy shortly after his birth: she and Luke were very conscious of the world's population rising too much. She would not let Romeo have as many toys as he wanted or always let him eat how he liked but she tended to meet him halfway. She always encouraged his interests and saw a great deal of potential in him. It was the happiest period of her life, this period of being a mother. To take care of and nurture an innocent being from infancy was heaven to her instincts. When Romeo reached the age of seven, she decided now she could afford to do so she would study again at university. Two years later she graduated with a Master's Degree in Architecture. It allowed her to land a job with the local authority - and although she had some grumblings about the role which Luke would get used to listening to while thy sat in bed together - she made quite a name for herself and designed many highly regarded buildings.

The most famous project she worked on was creating a street of housing - half-market and half-social housing - in which every house was unique but with an equal-sized plot. She consulted with each household's future residents and helped them draw up their own design based on what they wanted. When the street was completed, she won an award from the National Association of Architects. Then a special episode of Grand Designs featured her in which Kevin McCloud took a tour around the colourful homes, gushing at how innovative they were. Jolly also set up a local paragliding group and became a well regarded person to turn to in the town for her expertise on wildlife preservation.  She also never stopped turning heads on nights out in the town's restaurants with Luke. Their favourite was an Indian restaurant on the high street. On a Friday evening there, they sat eating curries and sipping ciders.

"I never thought you'd drink anything but wine," teased Jolly.

"That's what a woman will do to a man. Make him lose his senses."

She kicked him under the table. "Remember how you told me you dreamed of moving to America?"

"Yeah."

"Do you still?"

"No. Sadly that dream turned into a nightmare. I love the land, the accent, the get go and upbeat spirit of the people! The food is to die for. But I couldn't live under such a fascist system. Not the way it is now. If the CIA, FBI and NSA ever get dismantled, I might consider it. If they ever stop bullying journalists with ridiculous charges for writing things they don't like - Barrett Brown comes to mind - he's been detained awaiting charge for apparently posting just a link on the internet. If they stop giving the military so much control and throwing their weight around the world so casually. If they ever stop misusing anti-spying and anti-terrorism laws to target free speech and whistle-blowing of illegal and incompetent government activity. If they ever stop killing millions of poor people living in ghettoes through inadequate education, expensive healthcare and ever-available junk food. Until then, no way. America has lost its way. It's not the land of Jefferson, Washington and Franklin; not anymore."

"So you've given it all up? But that was such a part of who you were."

"I think a person can be defined as much by
what they are not
as what they are. My main aim in life is to not harm anyone else without good reason. Just as I won't buy satellite or digital TV because the people who own them are selfish, greedy and want to brainwash people... so too I have realized America is something I need to give up."

"But hang on a minute. America has lost its way, yes - but it's your dream. Hm! Shall we raise a drink then to England?"

"No! Of course not. Nations are only strips of land - they don't really matter. It is people and animals and plants that matter. Life. Nature."

"To mother nature. Let's drink to mother nature," said Jolly, raising her glass.

"No, hang on, that sounds ridiculous. To gardening. Let's raise a drink to gardening." Luke raised his glass too and they clinked.

"But you don't know a thing about gardening! I have to teach you everything - and you never learn easily. I have to repeat myself everything fifty times! Seriously: why are you denying your true feelings about America? You aren't happy here. Not really. I see the way you look annoyed at the sight of these provincial people who share our town. You don't like the quiet, conservative English social manner."

He could not pretend any longer. "Yes. To an extent you're right. But it doesn't matter. Anywhere you go, the majority of people are horrible and ignorant. They are stuck in their ways. But you can build something beautiful, safe and lovely away from them with enough determination - and that's what we've done. We don't need friends here. I could easily stop going out to restaurants and drinking. Yes, I enjoy it to a degree - but you're all I want and need."

"I love you."

"You too. I don't need to be happy all the time. We humans overestimate our importance. To simply survive and do no harm to others is all we need to achieve something in this life. To get anything more - a love like the one you have blessed me with - is everything."

Jolly's eyes welled up and she closed them and leaned in to Luke to kiss him. "You are the best boyfriend in the world. Don't think all the nice things you've said are going to excuse you from visiting my sister and the kids tomorrow, though. And you've got to stay for the whole party."

Luke inwardly sighed. He could not understand Jolly's family much at all; but he did not utter a sound. He had found a happy medium and was not going to disturb it after all the tragedies he had seen. In any case, he did not always want to have the last word - it was not in his nature.

* * *

A Note from the Author

* * *

In this novel I have written  quite a lot about diets. My knowledge about them comes from first-hand experience - it has never been easy for me to eat in the way some lucky devils can. Most of you may not have heard of the specific carbohydrate diet which is mentioned in this novel. It was invented by Sidney V. Haas and a book was written about it by Elaine Gottschall. There is a wealth of comprehensive information about it at
http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/

A lot of people have undiagnosed health problems. And a lot of people die every year of cancer, stroke, heart disease and nasty infections - a lot of these people could have been saved with a change in diet. We are only just beginning to understand how much what we eat influences how we feel. There is potential for the specific carbohydrate diet and gluten- and dairy-free eating to help you, no matter who you are. Just type one of these diets into a search engine and see all the evidence for yourself. There are thousands of blogs, message boards and web pages that are full of people's praise for them. Just beware: there are some big and powerful food manufacturers out there who fund newspapers and universities to produce news stories and studies that tell lies. Why? Simple! They make a lot of money out of selling bad food. There is not so much profit in being honest.